Gonzales mayor vetoes budgets for second time

August 6, 2014 05:53 AM

August 6, 2014 05:53 AM

GONZALES, La. (AP) — Gonzales Mayor Barney Arceneaux has vetoed for a second time the city's general fund and capital outlay budgets for the new fiscal year. The veto sets up another possible showdown with the city council over funding priorities.

In two required veto messages on Tuesday, Arceneaux says he rejected the budgets because funding for the Ascension Economic Development Corp. and police capital outlay were unnecessarily trimmed after other cuts to the two budgets that pay for operations and public works.

"In light of the fact that we have already cut well over $1 million from other capital outlay items, there is absolutely no reason to cut further in the area of public safety, an area that is crucial and so important to our city and its citizens," Arceneaux, a former Gonzales chief of police, wrote in his veto message.

The mayor has called for possible council override votes at the Aug. 11 council meeting, but to be successful, the five-member council needs four votes.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1nrJdOI) three councilmen have implemented cuts but have done so with little to no explanation of their rationale, prompting Arceneaux's opposition.